Sunil Chhetri calls Indian women's hockey team's Q/F win 'performance for the ages'

The captain of the Indian football team Sunil Chhetri has come forward and lauded the Indian women's hockey team for a remarkable performance in the Tokyo Olympics 2020 quarterfinals against Australia on Monday that helped them earn a place in the semi-finals.

India held Australia 1-0 in what was a low-scoring thriller where Rani Rampal & Co. did not allow the opposition to either score an equaliser or surpass their lead. 

Tokyo Olympics: Sunil Chhetri applauds Indian women's team on reaching S/F

Taking to the micro-blogging site, Sunil Chhetri wrote if one reckoned that if Sunday was good then the national women's hockey team have just gone and made Monday exceptional with a "performance for the ages!"

Chhetri then lauded the Indian women's hockey team for their first-ever semifinal appearance in an Olympic Games with a "big, solid" fight. 

The Indian women's team did manage a fourth-place finish at the 1980 Moscow Olympics which was a six-team event.

Tokyo Olympics: India vs Australia hockey match highlights

It was Gurjit Kaur who drew first blood for India in the first penalty corner with just six minutes left in the second half. Both teams had kept each other at bay in the first half which ended in a stalemate. In fact, India had dominated in the first quarter as they had nearly 60% of the ball possession.

At the same time, the defence by the Indian team was brilliant as they held on to their nerves brilliantly and ensured that there were no further hiccups, and at the same time, did not allow the Australians to capitalise and take advantage in any manner whatsoever. Goalie Savita Rani made an outstanding save in the final quarter as the Australian women's team just could not succeed in finding the back of the net as the Indians celebrated in delight once the final whistle blew.

Coming into the match, the odds were completely stacked against India as in world No.2 Australia, a mighty unbeaten opponent, awaited them in the last-eight round. However, the Indian women's team brought their A-game on the day when it mattered the most and knocked the three-time Olympic champions out of the competition.

Rani Rampal & Co. will now be up against Argentina in a high-voltage semi-final clash as they inch a step closer towards medal contention in this edition of the prestigious tournament.

Argentina outclassed the 2016 Rio Olympics bronze medalists Germany 3-0 on Monday as they successfully made it to the last four of the quadrennial event for the first time since the 2012 edition that was held in London where Las Leonas had finished as the second-best side by winning the silver medal.